Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to waterslides in general and in particular to a method and apparatus for using jetted water flow as a method of motive force on a vehicle within a track.
Background Art
Water slides are a common and popular recreational activity. Water slides commonly are comprise a track formed of a tubular or contoured track with a flow of water traveling from the top to the bottom to convey a rider. Conventional waterslides rely completely on gravity and the flowing water to convey the rider to the bottom of the slide. Such conventional waterslides use only potential energy gained from climbing a tower to move the vehicle down the slide. Using only potential energy creates the disadvantages of not being able to start motion on a flat section (launching) and not being able to climb to a height greater than the proceeding drop.
In recent years, waterslides have been developed utilizing water jets to assist the rider up inclines or otherwise propel the rider along the slide so as to provide greater flexibility in slide design as well as enable the construction of longer slides. Such rides use a large jet at the bottom of an uphill section to propel a rider or rider upon a raft. In such rides, the jet is continuously run to apply a motive force at the bottom of the hill. Examples of such devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,662 to (1991) Langford and U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,616 to Dubois. However these jets are commonly directed only to hit the raft or rider at any location at which ever location is in the direct path of the jets. Accordingly, the interface between the jets and the raft or rider may not correspond to a region which effectively drives the rider or raft forward. Additionally, such jets are continuously on such that a rider may be undesirably sprayed or impacted by the water ejected therefrom.